'Words of Life' w/ Pastor Mark D. Ingram
'Words of Life' w/ Pastor Mark D. Ingram
The Election
The Election
Isaiah 22:15-24
Song of the Week: Close to YOU
© Mark D. Ingram / RevWrite Music (BMI)
Ever wondered how pride, self-sufficiency, and abuse of power leads to downfall?
Within this week's 'Words of Life' broadcast / podcast, we invite you to join Pastor Mark as he unpacks the sobering lessons from Isaiah 22:15-24, where we see the palace administrator Shebna rebuked and replaced due to his arrogance and complete mis-management of his blessed position of steward.
This episode illuminates the dire consequences of self-glorification and emphasizes the virtues of humility and reliance on God's wisdom and through the rise of Eliakim, we learn what true stewardship and godly leadership must entail.
Discover the perils of self-reliance as we delve into the critical failures of a nation's leadership, who trusted in their own strength rather than seeking divine guidance.
The story of Shebna's misuse of his position serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us that our roles are meant for serving others in alignment with God's will. GOD'S view of Eliakim's heart and motives stand as a model for all, urging us to avoid the same traps of pride and self-sufficiency, which befell Shebna.
As we conclude this week's sermon, the urgent necessity of repentance and choosing Jesus Christ as our Savior offers an invitation to all, especially those who have yet to make a decision.
Reflecting on the unpredictable nature of life, GOD calls for immediate action, backed by biblical passages like James 4:14 and Revelation 3:19.
This episode isn't just a theological discussion; it's a heartfelt invitation to embrace humility, stewardship, and reliance on God's sovereignty, offering listeners a path to blessed assurance and eternal peace.
The election is not about a candidate.
Nor is it about affiliating with preferred parties or groups.
The election 'is' about: nations and individuals openly aligning themselves with GOD and HIS greatest wish: to be reconciled to HIM (through JESUS alone) prior to forthcoming wrath, while pointing all to HIS story and HIS glory, with our service blessing others.
The election is about the possibility of chastisement in lieu of an approaching eternity for all.
Have you been chosen or even made a choice yet?
GOD desires to 'elect' us - how do we respond?
Our eternal security depends upon it.
In lieu of eternity, sermons and musical artists are featured to extol JESUS CHRIST as the sole hope for the eternal souls of humanity.
We thank you for joining our Words of Life broadcast or podcast, where our mission is making God known for extolling Jesus, the Christ, as the sole hope for the eternal souls of humanity. We now join Pastor Mark for this week's Words of Life message.
Speaker 2:Hey, there again to you, our Words of Life, listeners and viewers. I am Pastor Mark and we are grateful again to be before you. I like to start before we even begin the podcast or the broadcast, if you're listening or watching. I like to start by just thanking you because the truth of the matter is you could have been doing anything else, you could have been watching anybody else, but you have allowed God's spirit to inspire you to listen to his word through the ministry of my wife and I, and for that we thank you and will never take your viewership or your listenership for granted.
Speaker 2:That being said, our message this week we're going to jump into the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament and we're going to start with chapter 22. I believe I'll start with verse 15. I'll repeat it one more time, as I normally do, to ad lib, just to give you time to get to that Old Testament prophet. We're coming out of Isaiah today, chapter 22. We're going to begin with verse 15, and I'm going to read the New Living Translation. If you don't have that translation, your translation might vary just a little bit, but they should sound basically the same. Here we go.
Speaker 2:Isaiah, chapter 22,. I've had lived enough. Verse 15 reads as follows this is what the Lord, the Lord of heaven's armies, said to me. Isaiah, confront Shibna, the palace administrator, and give him this message who do you think you are and what are you doing here? Building a beautiful tome for yourself? A monument high up in the rock, for the Lord is about to hurl. He is about to sling you away, supposed mighty man, the Lord is going to grab you. He is going to crumple you into a ball. He is going to toss you away into a distant, barren, ie deserted or empty land. It is there. You will die and all of your glorious chariots will be broken and useless. You are a disgrace to your master.
Speaker 2:Yes, I, the Lord, will drive you out of office. I, the Lord, will pull you down from your high position, and then I will call my servant, eliakim, son of Hilkiah, to replace you. I will dress him in your royal robes and will give him your title and your authority, and he will be a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. I will give him the key to the house of David, the highest position in the royal court. When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them. When he closes doors, no one will be able to open them. He will bring honor to his family name, will bring honor to his family name, for I, the Lord, will drive him firmly in place like a nail in the wall. They will give him great responsibility and he will bring honor to even the lowliest members of his family. May the Lord add a blessing to the hearers, the readers, but, most importantly, those that intend to do with God's help, his holy word.
Speaker 2:The title of our message this week that I would like for you to consider is the Election. I'll repeat it again, because this is one of the most important ones in history. The title again the Election. In my initial thoughts when I think of the word election, election derives from the Latin root. It means to pick, to be chosen, ie to be elected. In reviewing our opening text, the responsibilities and expectations that God demands of leaders is never to be taken lightly. Any leadership position not only has administrative duties of service to God's people, but it also incurs the mantle. These positions incur the mantle of stewardship, and stewardship is just the proper management of resources that God has provided. And so, when I think about leadership, administrative duties or stewardship. A few positions immediately come to mind President, governors, mayors, judges, principals, teachers, pastors. These are examples, and all must understand that godly leadership and stewardship. They don't require perfection, but they require a reliance upon God instead of trusting in our own limited wisdom or abilities to lead God's people or to manage God's resources.
Speaker 2:All that we have all that we think we are. It is God that has loaned it to us to manage for his story and for his glory, not our own. There are a few things that need to be understood, and I will call these God expectations. There are a few things that need to be understood for administrative and stewardship type positions, and again, here are a few things that come to mind.
Speaker 2:A pride or the exaltation of self, or the abuse of power, the misuse of God's people or resources? These are a couple of things that will incur God intervening in our affairs and we should avoid them at all costs. Pride or abuse of power. Let's see what God's word says about this In Proverbs, chapter 11, verse 2,. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 16 and 5,. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this. They will not go unpunished. Proverbs, chapter 16, verse 18,. Pride goes before destruction. A haughty, self-important, superior spirit goes before a fall.
Speaker 2:Here's the second thing we should probably think about when we're thinking about misuse of power or pride. God promotes and demotes whomever he chooses. He doesn't need anybody's help. He doesn't act for opinions. He promotes and he demotes whomever he chooses. He doesn't need anybody's help, he doesn't act for opinions. He promotes and he demotes however he chooses. The 75th Psalm, verses six and seven. This I know. The favor that brings promotion and power doesn't come from anywhere on earth, for no one exalts a person but God, the true judge of all. He alone determines where favor rests, he anoints one for greatness and he brings down another to his knees.
Speaker 2:And the last little challenge that I have for us, as we prepare to enter our exegesis of the text, I want us to think about, you know, in these initial thoughts, number three administrative leadership and stewardship positions. They are not simple, ordinary positions. Ordinary positions, they are blessed responsibilities given to us from God alone and they must bless or benefit others with us in that position. I'll say that again Administrative leadership or stewardship positions, they're not simple, ordinary positions. They are blessed responsibilities that God alone has bestowed upon us and they must bless our positions, must bless or benefit others under us. And so, with these introductory thoughts complete, let's now delve into our critical interpretation of the text, which is known as exegesis, within the book of the prophet Isaiah, beginning at chapter 22, verses 1 through 4, they start with Isaiah grieving over a loud, joyous city that should be remorseful. They're amidst famine, they're amidst disease. They're amidst famine, they're amidst disease and they're amidst forthcoming capture by the enemy Basically, everything that I just mentioned. Destruction is on the horizon, and so Isaiah weeps for God's people. Yet, in contrast, the people party as if nothing is occurring.
Speaker 2:Within verses 5 through 7, isaiah sees a vision of an approaching army with plans for further destruction, and he notices that there was no evidence of godly protection coming, but instead there was punishment on the horizon by the Lord himself. Verses 8 through 14 revealed the city's erroneous preparations for battle, in that they relied on themselves instead of looking to God. They were so assured of their abilities the Bible says they trusted in their weaponry, not God's power. They stored water and they tore down houses to fortify the walls of the city, instead of looking to God as their strong tower of defense. Verse 11, isaiah emphasizes in doing all of this, you never asked for help from the one who did all this. You never considered the one who planned this long ago.
Speaker 2:The remaining verses indicate godly ramifications for their incorrect preparations. As God says in verse 12, I called you to weep and to mourn. I called you to show sorrow and remorse for your sinfulness In verse 13, but instead you dance, you play, you eat as if nothing is wrong In verse 14,. This is unforgivable and as you die, this is my godly judgment against you.
Speaker 2:And this now brings us full circle, to our opening text, where God gives his prophet Isaiah the words to convey to one proud person in particular the palace administrator, ie the stewardship manager of King Hezekiah, and his name was Shepna, or Shepna I'll backtrack to see am I? Am I pronouncing that correctly? I'm sure my statistician will let me know, but understand this person. Shepna, was elected to be over the king's household, ie we could call him. He was the royal treasurer, he was the chief finance officer, he was the minister of finance. In simple terms, he was a steward. And he needed to understand that a steward manages that which has been entrusted to him or her because he or she a steward. There is no ownership of anything requiring oversight. It all belongs to the master, not the steward.
Speaker 2:And here's a great time to interject ourselves into this equation before we make our transition, because each time God bestows gifts, talents, positions, blessings, so on and so forth I said it earlier they must be utilized as a blessed responsibility to serve others. I'll say that again. They must be used as a blessed responsibility to serve others. When we fall into the traps of relying on or even boasting in our positions, our results, our titles, our works, our skills, our possessions, our relationships, it might be our self-sufficiency, our abilities, our strengths. We think we have, our achievements, wisdom, aspirations, power, prowess or wealth. We will incur God's rebuke and wrath because they have become idols, self-sufficient, proud, taking the place of God's preeminence, god's total control in our lives.
Speaker 2:And so here's a question to think about real quick. Do we possess any of the same traits that Shebna exhibited with his elected responsibility? Remember this guy. He's an elected steward, a manager, but what he decides to do is to misappropriate the palace funds, not to serve the people. He misappropriated it by yep, you guessed it serving himself. Get this Although the nation was on the eve of approaching captivity. What does he do? He designs lavish, expensive, elevated carvings for his future death and remembrance, extensive, elevated carvings for his future death and remembrance. He models extravagance in building, then riding around in chariots that herald his self-importance, his arrivals and departures to the people. Understand, it's not about the people at this dire time of need. With his position, shepna makes it all about him, and in verses 15 through verse 19,.
Speaker 2:God's message to Shepna was downright frightening, and since he has been misusing and abusing his honorable position to glorify himself instead of serving the people. This is what God says who do you think you are? What do you think you have? Here you are. You build a beautiful tomb for yourself. You then exalt it like a monument, high upon a rock, as if you control your next breath. High upon a rock, as if you control your next breath step, your next, tomorrow or even life. And so the Lord continues I am about to hurl you away, you so-called mighty man. I, the Lord, am going to grab you. I'm going to crumple you into a ball. I am going to toss you away into a distant, barren land. You won't even be buried here, where you think you deserve all of this pomp and circumstance. It's where I hurl you, throw you away, not where you plan. It is there where you will die and your glorious chariot. They'll be broken and useless. You are a disgrace to your master. Yes, I, the Lord, I will drive you out of office. Out of office. Wow, I, the Lord, will pull you down from your high position. The Lord demotes, and then, in verses 20 and 24, god then details how he alone will promote one who will serve him wholeheartedly with this blessed responsibility Eliakim.
Speaker 2:So, as we begin our transition from the text to apply to our lives right now, what should we be wise to acknowledge as we think about application considerations? Well, let's first backtrack to our title the election Again, election to be picked, to be established, secured not by man but by God. Well, we should remind ourselves of these facts, and I want to pinpoint some specifics to think about before we get to the point that will apply to our lives. The election is not about a specific candidate. The election is not about political party affiliation. The election is not about frail, tenuous power, wealth, status or abilities that we think we're in control of, but the election is about nations, people and individuals who will openly acknowledge, then align themselves with God's revealed will for his people, which is we should all be reconciled to God through Jesus alone, with our service, with our positions, because eternity is at stake and God's wrath as it was in our opening text, it approaches on the horizon.
Speaker 2:2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 9, the Amplified Classic Version states the Lord does not delay. The Lord is not tardy or slow about what he promises. If he said it, oh, it's coming to pass. He's not slow in that, according to some people's conception of slowness, but God is long-suffering, ie he is extraordinarily patient towards us, not desiring that anybody should perish, but that all should turn to repentance. And so right now, before we get to our application point, now is a good time to look introspectively, to challenge ourselves before we apply specifics to our daily walk.
Speaker 2:Are we just as guilty of self-reliance and this false sense of security detached from God, as if God can't bring us down, us being our nation, us being any nation, wherever you are. And this definitely speaks of individuals as well. Are we just as guilty of self-reliance and this false sense of security detaching ourselves from God's omnipotence, as if God can't bring us down a few nations as nations or individuals? Here's another one to think about. Are we just as guilty of selfish ambition and striving for self-glorification instead of realizing that we have been elected, picked, chosen by God to serve and bless others, not primarily ourselves? To serve and bless others, not primarily ourselves? And here's something else to think about.
Speaker 2:Are we just as guilty of making presumptuous plans that replace our frail existence that God warned us about within James, chapter 4, verse 14? Here's the amplified version. Yet you do not even know the least thing about what may happen in your life tomorrow. What's secure in your life? You are merely a vapor, like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot that's visible for a little while and then vanishes into thin air. Yeah, that's tenuous, but we make all of these plans and forget. We can make plans, but it is God's will that will take place over any and everything.
Speaker 2:And so, with these challenges, the initial challenges and thoughts to think about in mind, here's our first application point for consideration when we're talking about the message, the election Call to action. Point number one, remorseful repentance, is a good place to start. Isaiah had the right response for the people situation. It's the people. They didn't repent or respond remorsefully with their sinfulness, and so it was the people that incurred God's rebuke. Isaiah intervened with the right response, weeping prayer, and that's where those of us Christians, those that are aligned we are called Christians because we believe we belong to God through Jesus's soul act on our behalf. So therefore, christians or Christians, we need to intervene right now for people in our families, for those that we know are lost, that thumb their noses at God, even as a nation. Intervention, prayer right now that's what we need to be doing.
Speaker 2:I cannot help but to think about how we as a society, as nations and even sometimes as individuals, daily we will thumb our noses at God in so many ways and we foolishly forget that if we do not learn from the past, we will regrettably make the same mistakes with the same results that will truly harm us. Galatians, chapter six, verse seven, indicates do not be deceived. God is not mocked. He will not allow himself to be ridiculed mocked. He will not allow himself to be ridiculed, he will not allow himself to be treated with contempt, nor will he allow his precepts to be scornfully set aside. The verse concludes you will always harvest what you plant, ie you will reap what you sow.
Speaker 2:There has never, ever, been a time in humanity's existence whereas God did not hold accountable nations or individuals who refused to repent, with broken spirits and contrite hearts, trite hearts. Notice Shabna proud, self-serving, improper, bold in his actions, and he had no remorse. The people, hey, let's party on. We only have one life to live, and who wants to give of themselves? At this stage? Let's live it up, then Forget about death or even consequences later stage. Let's live it up, then Forget about death or even consequences later.
Speaker 2:But Isaiah, oh Lord, I weep for your people, I weep for our condition, I weep for our sin, I weep for our decision. I see wrath coming. Nothing really has changed In the world we live in today. Do we have any Isaiahs, anybody willing to pray, intervene for those in our family that say I don't believe in the Lord or what I'm doing. He loved me too. Yeah, he loves us, but he hates sin. Are we willing to intervene for our country? Because if we as nations or individuals, if we refuse to repent of our erroneous, prideful, self-sufficient attempts at living these lives that God alone has loaned us Well, we need to prepare for another startling truth to apply.
Speaker 2:It is point number two. Consider that God allows wrath to draw us to him, and that's found all in his word. God will allow wrath to draw us to him. Nothing bad can come from God. He's a good God. But even if wrath comes our way, well, it's working out for our good. Psalm 20, verse 7. This is the NIV version of that psalm. The verse says some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord, our God, that there is wisdom. But this was the direct opposite reaction of the people. And as again we backtrack to verses 8 through 14 in our opening text, or the pre-opening text, these verses indicate indifferent and wrong preparations for battle were found in the people because they relied on themselves instead of looking to God. It's our weaponry, it's our might not God's omnipotence that sustains us.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's store water, let's tear these houses down. We'll use the wood and stuff to fortify the walls of the city, instead of looking to God, who's the only strong tower of defense? Verse 11, God says okay, you never asked for help from me, the one who does everything. You never considered, the one who makes all plans. I'm calling you in verse 12.
Speaker 2:You should be weeping mourning, showing sorrow and remorse for your sinfulness, but instead y'all are dancing, you plan, you eat and act and marry as if nothing is wrong with y'all. Are dancing, you playing, you eating, acting, merry as if nothing is wrong with y'all and nothing is on the horizon. This is unforgivable, the Lord says in verse 14. And as you die, this is my judgment against you. And so again, this disturbing account begs of us to ask ourselves are we as nation or individuals? We've been elected to represent God in our leadership positions, elected to represent God in our administrative responsibilities? We have been picked, chosen, elected with our stewardship management position. Let's ask ourselves are we on the verge of incurring God's chastisement, nation or individual? Because our acts, or our lack thereof, place us in this same undesirable position that Judah and Jerusalem were in Revelation 3 and 19,.
Speaker 2:The NIV version states those whom I love, I being the Lord, those whom I love, I rebuke, or I correct and discipline. So be earnest, ie be solemn, be sincere and repent. Listener, viewer, when we repent, when we are remorseful, when we are totally reliant upon God instead of ourselves, god's peace replaces our tenuous standing. Who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Here's the next to the last point to consider for us to apply to our lives. Point number three know that God alone we mentioned it earlier God promotes or God demotes us. The 75th Psalm, verses six and seven this I know the favor that brings promotion and power doesn't come from anywhere on earth, for no one exalts a person but God, the true judge of all. He alone determines where favor rests, he anoints one for greatness and he brings another down to his knees. Daniel, chapter 2, verse 21,. The New Living Translation Version states God alone, he controls the course of world events. God alone, he controls the course of world events. God alone removes kings and he sets up other kings. You may as well throw presidents in there too. God alone, give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
Speaker 2:So many times we get caught off guard. We think it's our abilities, our powers, our smarts, our results I score. Hey, I'm going to be transparent. I know I'm guilty. See, I had to eat this message.
Speaker 2:First, I'm a teacher, I teach high school. I teach the skill of phlebotomy, drawing blood, and I'm also, I've been a nurse, I'm an army guy and so I've been a nurse for 30 plus years, and that nursing experience helps me in the classroom in teaching phlebotomy or EKG. But there have been times in my eight year teaching career I've gotten sidetracked because I tend to think, man, I'm really teaching these kids or their scores and their results? Yep, it's because of me and God had to remind me, no, anything that they're learning. Any bright idea, any score, any result, if I gave it to you to give to them, recognize that it's not you.
Speaker 2:I empower, I give you wisdom, I give you a bit. I could only say, oh Lord, I am so sorry, that's me, and that's me all day. I will get to that and change that before your chastisement hand starts spanking my body. I will correct that, oh Lord, and that's what we need to be. Do we realize when God is no, your power, your this, your that, your job, your health, I'm the one giving you all of that. The Lord says Again Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verses 17 through 18. God says you might say in your heart the power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me, but the verse continues strength of my hands have made this wealth for me, but the verse continues. But remember, it is the Lord, your God, who gives you the power to gain wealth, and that's for a purpose. It's in order to confirm his covenant.
Speaker 2:Listener, viewer. With these truths, with these truths, all of our striving should cease. We are not in control, we are not in charge of our next breath or step. So why do we foolishly believe we're in control of the next day, the next business opportunity, the next position, our tentative fleeting health wealth or next promotion, tentative fleeting health, wealth or next promotion? You know why we do that.
Speaker 2:It's because we think we're in control of our destiny, because we have fallen into the mindset of thinking, just like Shabna did, I am going to do this, my, this, me, that, me, my and I. God abhors it because me, my and I do not and have never served God's people. And we got to look in the mirror and do self-checks. If we have certain positions in our lives that you know we got to influence people or lead or guide people, but anytime, me, my eye comes up, that's that spirit that Shepna had and it's not thinking about serving his people. We've got to avoid this attitude at all costs.
Speaker 2:Whether we're in leadership, administrative or stewardship positions, we must remember that it is God alone that has picked. He has elected us for the blessed responsibility of servitude. And this is what elections, the election. This is what it's all about being handpicked by God to serve his people while pointing humanity to his story and his glory with said service. It should never be about what we think, we do, we did, we have, what we're going to get, so on and so forth. Back to Isaiah, chapter 42, verse 1,. God says here is my servant. He's speaking of Jesus, whom I uphold, my chosen, elected one, in whom my soul delights. I will put my spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. And so, as God spoke of Jesus, could God say the same thing about us right now? Does he delight in our attitudes? Does he delight in our ways? Does he delight in our decisions or our servitude, corporately or individually? Or are servitude corporately or individually? Are we servants, with our positions resources?
Speaker 2:or power and does it bless others? Do we rely on God alone to uplift and uphold us, knowing that it is only God that opens doors for us that nobody can shut and he closes doors for our good that nobody can open? Do we long for God's spirit to overtake our lives, our leaders, our jobs, our land, our weaknesses, so that we can, without a doubt, know that God is pleased with us? In a time such as this, it's crucial that we understand that God chose, he picked, he elected his son Jesus to reconcile us back to him. And if you didn't get anything else out of this sermon about the election, well, our final application point is the most important one for you and I to apply, and our final point is this Eternity is our election. Choose Jesus. Today. I'll state it again, it's so important Eternity, that's our election. We must choose Jesus today.
Speaker 2:If you have listened to this podcast or you've watched the broadcast, god is holding us accountable at this very moment for what you've heard or watched and is, in so many words, telling us you better make a choice and you better do so with urgency. It's no mistake that you tuned in to listen to this podcast. It's no mistake that you tuned in to listen to this podcast. It's no mistake that you've decided to watch the broadcast. It was a decision and urging. It was God's preordained moment for you to listen or to watch. And he's saying now I'm holding you accountable. He doesn't hold us accountable for that, that we don't know, but the minute you come into the knowledge of something, god is holding us accountable and he's telling you, viewer, you listener, if you haven't made that choice to choose Jesus today, make no mistake about it. He's saying make a choice, do it with urgency. It doesn't matter where you are. God is there with you, waiting on your decision. Doesn't matter the nation, it doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter about your position. God welcomes your decision. Every moment counts because we are dying every moment of every day, and that's why there's an urgency to choose today.
Speaker 2:Joshua 24, verse 15, the new King James version, states and if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, well, choose for yourselves this day. Whom you're going to serve Paraphrase idol gods in the lands that you dwell, me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In Acts 28,. Paul even quotes the prophet Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 8, which speaks of the day of salvation. Then he says not to delay. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. In other words, today is the day of salvation.
Speaker 2:Listener and viewer, make no mistake about it. God's wrath is forthcoming for those who emulate without repentance shepherds, brash, self-sufficient, indifferent acts, especially with eternity approaching. But get this. Salvation and security await nations and individuals with Isaiah in Eliakim's heart of remorse and humility regarding our sinfulness and our need for repentance.
Speaker 2:The 33rd Psalm, verse 12, new King James Version, states blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen, elected as his own inheritance. The question at this very moment to ask ourselves is this am I one of those God has chosen, elected as his own inheritance? You don't have to guess, we don't have to have anxiety about this crucial matter. There's only one way to be assured that we are God's and that is through Jesus, the Christ period. There is no other way, there is no other avenue to God. There's only one his son, jesus, the Christ. Listener or viewer, my friend, what choice will you make today If you don't, or if you haven't made an eternal choice? Well, you already have by choosing nothing. We don't have to be today's Shebna, whom God discards. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, because God has already preordained our departure dates, our death before we were ever born.
Speaker 2:Hence the urgency of this moment for you and for me as well. If you are unsure of being secure, established, chosen by God and safe in his hands, with a safe, secure eternity for you on the horizon, I want you to pray this brief prayer with me as we prepare to close. Oh Lord, I acknowledge that I'm a sinner whose heart can be just as presumptuous and sinful as sheepness was. I cannot approach you in my own abilities, my own goodness or my own efforts. So, Lord, help me to be contrite and remorseful. And, to number two, believe that it is you alone. You are the only son of God that takes away my sin in a world that worships self-sufficiency. Change me, lord. I don't want to be self-sufficient. I want to rely on you for any and everything, especially my eternal salvation and security. I will, from here on, go forward and see. I will confess with my mouth that you now are my only savior, my only redeemer, reconciling me back to God and now anointing me to point others with my life of service to your story and to your glory. Because of Jesus, I am now a part of your chosen people and you alone bless me to be a blessing to everyone you allow me to encounter. I believe that you are the faithful promise keeper. Encounter. I believe that you are the faithful promise keeper, so I close by saying amen, or it is so.
Speaker 2:Well, we've concluded another episode and again I want to thank you for tuning in to our Words of Life broadcast for our viewers, or podcast for our listeners. I want to invite you to tune into my wife's broadcast podcast as well, and her show is entitled Biblical Thoughts with Twala. And I also invite you to download our Roku channel. That's free, for our sermons, music videos, short films, even the legacy ministry of my dad, pastor Mack E Ingram, and you can also download not just the channel, but you can download our digital app. That's free as well, and either Amazon, spotify, apple Music, wherever you like your digital content. Well, I'm closing with the song of the week. The song is entitled Close to you, simply because we are chosen, we have been elected to be heirs of this glorious salvation that Jesus alone provides humanity. Until next time, in God's grace alone, we hope to see you again right back here soon. Okay, god bless, we love you. Bye-bye.
Speaker 3:I've been online, stole me nights and I've wasted time. Oh, how I feel Such unrest. Invite me, as I confess, sometimes I feel Like running away, but you call my name and you want me to stay. I need your love and I need your grace, but you're above. So I wanna say Wanna get me close to you. I want to, wanna give my heart to you. Only thing I want, I need to wanna get me close to you, wanna get rid of you. I want you, but I never have to. All I need I want you. I need to wanna get rid of you. I'm free some days, but then I'm bound. I've traveled roads With no one else around. I've been gone away. I've been near and far Cruise boats and planes, road rails and cars. I've done, done, seen the world, been here and there. Wherever I go, you're always there. So I daydream and I only see Me with you and you with me. Wanna get me close to you. I want you wanna give my heart to you. Only thing I want, I need you wanna get me close to you, wanna get meose to you, wanna get re-close to you. I want to wanna give my heart to you. Only thing I want I need to wanna get re-close to you. Wanna get re-close to you, I want to. Wanna give my heart to you. Only thing I want I need to. Wanna give it all to you, wanna give it all to you. I want to wanna give my heart to you. Only thing I want I need to wanna give me growth. Ooh, I want to. Ooh, I need to. Ooh, I want to.
Speaker 3:To access our Words of Life video on demand channel at Roku, amazon, fire or your favorite app. Search for Words of Life with Pastor Mark D Ingram on your television or portable device Now. Add the channel within your television app or portable device. Simply click on our Words of Life logo to access available content. Simply click on our Words of Life logo to access available content. Try scrolling the various categories for preferred viewing. In our various categories to choose from Watch or listen to sermons, music videos, short films or movies, enjoy the solitude of our Meditational Moments series, or select from various animated children's shows or additional content added weekly. You can also view sermons from the legacy ministry of Pastor Mac Earl Ingram Sr. The Words of Life video on demand channel allowing us to extol Jesus Christ as the sole means of hope for the eternal souls of humanity, now available for free at the touch of your finger. We look forward to you joining us soon.